Cold passover and heated humidifiers are employed for the prevention of side-effects associated with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment. However, to date, it has not been possible to separately measure the humidity of inspired and expired air. The aim of this study was to compare the relative humidity of the inspired air and the water loss during respiration between cold passo...

There is no consensus concerning the best system of humidification during long-term noninvasive mechanical ventilation (NIMV). In a technical pilot randomised crossover 12-month study, 16 patients with stable chronic hypercapnic respiratory failure received either heated humidification or heat and moisture exchanger. Compliance with long-term NIMV, airway symptoms, side-effects and number of se...

The bipolar membrane fuel cells (BPMFCs), which have a unique acid-alkaline jointed membrane electrode assembly (MEA) structure, have demonstrated their great potential for self-humidification during operation. Although the self-humidification ability of such bipolar membranes (BPMs) has recently been validated by a one-dimensional BPM model, the transport mechanism and the formation of selfhum...

Humification of oxygen prior to administration by nasal cannula is an expensive practice which has been justified on the basis that it improves the comfort of patients receiving supplemental oxygen therapy. Routine humidification of low-flow oxygen (less than or equal to 4 L/min) delivered by nasal cannula has recently been challenged based on theoretic grounds and on the results of a clinical ...

BACKGROUND Oxygen therapy is usually combined with a humidification device, to prevent mucosal dryness. Depending on the cannula design, oxygen can be administered pre- or intra-nasally (administration of oxygen in front of the nasal ostia vs cannula system inside the nasal vestibulum). The impact of cannula design on intra-nasal humidity, however, has not been investigated to date. OBJECTIVE...

BACKGROUND Currently, no clinical or animal studies have been performed to establish the relationship between airway humidification and mechanical ventilation-induced lung inflammatory responses. Therefore, an animal model was established to better define this relationship. METHODS Rabbits (n = 40) were randomly divided into 6 groups: control animals, sacrificed immediately after anesthesia (...

Introduction Normal Mechanisms of Heat and Moisture Exchange in the Respiratory Tract High-Flow Humidifiers Pass-over Humidifiers Wick Humidifiers Bubble Humidifiers Artificial Noses Moisture Output Resistance Dead Space Additives Cost Choosing an Artificial Nose Active Hygroscopic Heat and Moisture Exchangers HME-Booster Use of Humidification Devices During Mechanical Ventilation Use of Heated...

AIM To determine current practice and opinion in relation to incubator humidity use in the management of preterm infants in neonatal intensive care units (NICU's) within the Australian and New Zealand Neonatal Network (ANZNN). METHODS A survey was conducted in 26 NICU's in the ANZNN. A senior clinical nurse in each perinatal centre participated in a telephone survey that focused on local humi...

There are conflicting data on the effect of adding a heated humidifier to nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy for patients with obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS). The effects of heated humidification on sleep quality and treatment side-effects for patients who prefer a cold bedroom environment have not been studied. A randomised, controlled crossover trial involving ...

OBJECTIVE To study the impact that heated humidification instituted in the beginning of automatic positive airway pressure (APAP) therapy has on compliance with and the side effects of the treatment. METHODS Thirty-nine treatment-naïve patients with obstructive sleep apnea were randomized into two groups to receive APAP using one of two modalities: with heated humidification (APAPwith group);...